Smudge pot generator



Ja11 30, l945- J. s. HoDGEs SMUDGE POT GENERATOR Filed March 13, 1942 INVENTOR. BY f4 mm A Trae/v5 ys.

Patented Jan. 30, 1945 SMUDGE Por GENERATOR John IS. Hodges, Riverside, Calif., assignor of forty-nine per cent to Maurice Lerner, Fontana,

Calif Application March 13, 1942, ser ia1N0.43 4,512

12 claims. (c1. 15s- 91)4 v's invention relates to a generator for smudge pots, yorchard heaters, and the like.

In the conventional smudge pot there is an oil reservoir that contains a supply offuel oil and from the vcover of the oil reservoir a stack extends upwardly. In `the cover there is normally a combinedlling opening and damper that controls the rate of combustion andenables the fuel reservoir to be relled.fIn normal operation, when the smudge pot is lighted there is a small amount of burning vover the surface of the oil in the pot. These ignited vapors pass up into the stack where combustion is intended to be completed. However, the average smudge pot does not have its vapors completely burned with the result that considerable smoke or sludge and soot is pro- `An object of 'the present invention is to pro-vide a generator that may be installed in any conventional form ofl smudge pot construction which is so designed as to cause the supply of oil in the reservoir to become highly heated, thus generating vapors which on burning in the stack may be more completely burned rthus developing greater heat with an absence of smudge and soot.

The improved generator is also advantageous in that it causes the oil in the reservoir to burn down without forming a sludge. On the contrary with the use of .the present generator the oil inthe oil reservoirv burns down completely dry leaving only al very minute lm of carbon which enablestheoil reservo-into be easily cleanedwhen this` becomes necessary.

Another object oaf the invention is `tofprovide a generator for smudgep'ots, orchard heaters, and

the like which is of relatively simple, sturdy, and

durable construction andv which will not get out of order. i

With the foregoing and other objects in view,

which will be made manifest in` the -following detailed'description and specically pointed Vout in the appended claims, reference is had to the accompanying drawing for an illustrative vembodiment of the invention, wherein:

Figure 1is a view inside elevation of a` conventional form of smudge pot having the improved generator installed therein, parts of the stack being broken away and shown in vertical section;

Fig.' 2 is a Itop .plan view of the smudge pot shown in Fig. l; and

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the smudge pot and through the generator installed therein.

Referring yto the accompanying drawing wherein similar reference characters designate similar parts Y.tl'irbugho'it I0-l indicates ya container that forms the oil reservoir of a conventionaltsmudge pot. This container `has a cover IIon which is mountedan upwa'rdlyextending stack I2. In one side of the cover Ithere is formed a filling opening I 3 normally-closed by a cover I 4 equipped with a damper or air regulating valvezl E'that regulates I Ithe amount of air admitted Athrough the cover I I. A;

I 6 indicates the body offuel oil thatis-maintained in the container I0.

The4 generator embodying the present linvention comprises a cylindrical container I'I having a base I8 adapted lto rest on the bottom of container l0. The top of the container is provided by a reducer. I9 in'which is screwed an upwardly extending section fof pipe equipped at its top `with an enlarger 2 Iinto which is screwed a short nipple 22. The enlarger 2l is perforated with perforations 23 and `serves somewhat as a retarder retarding the upward movement of burningvapors through the stack I2.-j.zWithin the container Ilthere is a vertical section of tubing 2K4 and surrounding this section of tubing is a mass of coarse sand or gravel 25 that serves as a heatabsorbing and transmitting refractory. In `one side ofthe container Il there is screwed a nipple 26' connected by an elbow 2l to aninlet conduit 2B that leads up toward the capto Ia point above the level of the oil I6 when the smudge potis filled. e y A 'The operation r*and advantages of the improved generator are as follows: When the smudge pot is ignited in the conventional'manner some comy bustion `takes place over the surface'of. the oil f that vis thus drawn through the conduit formed beneath cap-III.v This combustion tends to rise in stack I2 and heats theupwardlyextending conduit 2D. When theconduit 20 becomes heated lt tends to create an-upwarddraft ltherethrough with the result that a substantial `portion of the burning vapors over thesurface ofthe o1l are4 drawn downwardly through the inlet lconduit 28 'through 'the refractory 25 heating refractory and then passing up throughthe conduit20 where they are discharged into nipple 22. 'I'hese vapors may then burn in the nipple'andin the top the stack I2.- That-fraction ofthe burning vapors by the pipe 28,r container Il, and pipelltcauses the refractory or gravellin the container to become heated to suol-1an extent thatthe surrounding body of oil is heatedthereby .tosuch a temperature :that it virtually boils, thus generating'` vapors that pass up throughfthe stack and which are completely burned therein.

Iv find/that if a smudge pot orequivalent employed in smudge pots may be completely burned thus generating greater heat Without producting the objectionable sludge and soot. I nd also that as the supply of oil burns down in the container I that no sludge is formed as in the conventional smudgepot that must be cleaned out from time to time. y On the contrary it is; possible to burn the oili down untilx the container IU is completely empty With the' result that only a small film of dry carbon is generator: isf of; relatively simple. and durable,

construction; and may. be; easily, installed in any conventional; form; of? smudgespot'., By; conduct` ing some, of" the: flaming' vapors abovel the; oilz down into; the f oilr and. theni into: the vstackr thet oil' can be' heated.' to a. suflicientlvhighltemperature, so' as'. toV ensure, complete: combustion of theT vapors" generated therefrom:

Various changes may be imadeainlthef details oft construction' without departingfrom; the; spirit or scope of the4 inventionzassdenedibn'the:ap.;

I- claim:

1. In combination. with asmudge pots having anoilf reservoir and a; stack; means: providingy a: conduit extending' from above` they oil; level in'- thereservoir dowlrinto the: reservoir below` the normal oil level: therein andi thenupinta theI stack. v

2. In combination with a smudge pothavirrg` anoil reservoir and a` stack; meansA providing: a: conduit extending` from'y above the oilf level in the-` reservoir down into thereservoir below: thel normal oil' level therein andi then. up into they stack, that portion oftheconduitlwhich extendsdown belowthe oilA level? being equipped witlr a refractory material arranged* to be-, heated byv gases flowing through the conduit'.

3. A smudge pot generator comprising a con;-

. tainer adapted to1bepositioned in` the oil reservoir ofA a smudge pot4 having a: stack; av conduit; leadingI therefrom up into theA stack of' vsmudgepot, and' anA inlet; conduit leading. intol the container` from a point above the levelt to@ which the oil: is normally ll'ed.

4. A'smudge pot generator comprising-` acorn. tainer adapted to loe-positioned in the oilzreser- Voir of a smudge pot-"havingk ai stack, a conduit; leading; therefromy up into the stack ofv the smudge' pot, and an inlet conduit leading into the container from a point above the level to: which the oil; isnormally lled, said conduitcontaining a' refractory materiali in that. portion thereorwhich isf belowv the normal oilE level:

5. A smudge potgenerator comprising a con:- tainer adapted to be positioned in` theoil reser.u Voir. of a smudge pot having a stack, a conduit' leading therefrom' upl intothestack' off' the smudge pot, and: aninlet conduitleadingintol the container from a point abovethe normal oili level, the conduitleadngfintothe stack having: an enlargement adjacent its top.-

6. A smudge pot generator comprisingY a.. corr-- tainer adapted to be positioned in the oil reservoir of a smudge pot having a stack, a conduit leading therefrom up into the stach of the` smudge pot, and an inlet conduit leading into the container from a point above the normal oil level, the conduit leading into the stack having a perforated enlargement adjacent its top.

7. A smudge pot generator comprising a container adapted to be positioned in the oil reservoir of a `smudge pothaving a stack, a conduit leading therefrom' upy into, the stack of the smudge pot, and an inletconduit leading into the container from a point. above the normal oillevel, said container having a tube therein sur-roundedby a refractory material.

8. In combination with an oil heater having onoil reservoirandl az. stack, means providing a conduit; the entrance to which is disposed Within the oil reservoirabove the normal oil level therein: and.A which extends downwardly below the oil level and then upwardly to its exit, the exitbeingdisposed above the entrance whereby burning, or heated gases. developedoverV theW surface of the oil in the, reservoir will he.; inducedr to flow through the,conduit and.to. heat the oil in the reservoir..

9. In. combinationwith; an. oil, heater having an o il reservoir and astack, meansproviding. a. conduit, .the entrance to which. isdisposed'. Within the oil reservoir abovethe normal `oillevel there-y in and which extends. downwardly below the normal oil level and thenupwardlyv tditseXit,

the exit being. disposed` above the entrance whereby burning or. heatedgaseadeveloped over the surfacev of the oil in the, reservoir, will. be` induced to l flow. through. the conduit. and to.heat.v

the oil inthe reservoir, andamass of. refractory material associated withthat portion of thecon.-

duit that is below the normal oil level so as toI be heated thereby and-,transmit.heat tothe oil.

10. In combination with; an. oil.l heater hav.- ing an oil reservoir anda stack, means providing a conduit, the.entrance,to ,which is disposed in the topof the oil reservoir above the normal. level of oil therein.. and which4 extends. downwardlybelow the'normal oill level. and then: up.- Y

wardly tov an .exitarrangQd-in, the; stachwhereby, heated or burning gases developed. over thesullfaceof theoirwillbe conducted: down through, the oil toheat it..

1-1. A smudge pot.generatorforl usein a smudge pot having: an. oil, resem-oir anda stack come prising meansproviding a conduit adapted to be positioned inthe oil reservoir of. a smudge. p ot, the entrance to the`conduitbeing arranged to be positioned in the oil reservoir abovethe normal oillevel therein, andthe-,conduit extendingv downf wardly therefrom. toy a` point belowy they normal:

oilleveL and upwardly toA an exit, theexit from the conduit being arranged at a higher. level. than theentrance and.being adapted to bepositioned in the stack of* the smudge pot.

12. A smudge pot. generator for vusefina smudge pot having an oil reservoir and astachcomprising means providing a conduit adaptedtaba positioned in the oil reservoir: of a` smudgenot, the`V entrance tothe conduit being-r arranged to be positioned;- in the oil. reservoir above the normal' oil level` therein, and the.- conduit.extendingdownwardly therefrom to a pointzbelow'the normal oil level and upwardly to an exit, the7 exit from the conduit bei-ng-A arranged at a higher level than the entrance and being adapted to be positionedin the stack ofv the smudge pot, and a mass of refractory material in Contact with the conduit: below itsentranceso-asftobe heated by the gases owing therethrough.

JOHN S;.-HODGES 

